Juneau Report 8-03-12

 nice cutt

Fishing this week around Juneau has been outstanding. Pinks continue to swarm around the banks of Echo Cove. The fish hanging around the head of the cove are turning, while brighter fish can be found farther out towards the mouth. Pink continues to be the go to color. If the fish aren’t grabbing a stripped fly, try a strip, strip, pause technique. Often the pinks will grab the fly during or just after the pause.

Most Chums are now in the streams in the process of spawning. This means that egg flies and beads are the weapon of choice for Dollies and Cutthroat. Montana Creek, Cowee Creek and most other creeks are fishing hot and heavy. If you are looking for numbers of fish, fish the runs right behind spawning chums or pinks. Larger fish often can be found in deeper pools and behind structure such as snags where it is a little easier for them to hide.

Most of the hatchery king fishing is done for the year. There are a few schools of darker fish in the Fish Creek Pond and around Auke Bay. A few of these fish tend to stray into local streams like Fish Creek and Montana Creek. Don’t be surprised to see these guys at the end of your line while Dolly fishing.

The question of the week is: Where are the silvers? Answer: Somewhere out there… in the salt.

A few streams in the Juneau area may see the first Silvers in the next week or two. We start hearing of the first fish usually around Aug 15th. It is between Aug 25th and September 1st, though, before the fishing becomes consistent, with the fishery peeking the last two weeks of September. So don’t burn yourself out by trying to hit the Silvers too soon. If you do go, good early spots in the salt are the Point of St. Louisa, the radio station at Salmon Creek, Lena Point and Outer Point. Sometimes lower Cowee Creek will spit out an early chromer, too.

We are holding our annual class on how to fish beads for trout and Dollies.  The class is being held Saturday, August 11 at noon.  Cost:$35 and includes a bead box with beads and accessories, and on stream instruction.   Space is limited.  Call 586-3754 to register.

Get out there and hit it!

Brad, Mike, Cory, Dave and Chaz